Power-transmitting mechanism



H. 0. FORD,

POWER TRANSMITTING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 28. 1916. RENEWED IAN. 2. 1919.

1,317,91 6. Patented Oct. 7,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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Patented Oct. 7, 1919.

2 SHFETS-SHEET 2.

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HANNIBAL C. FORD, OF NEW YORK, H. "321, AS$ IGNGR Ti INC., A CORPORATIGN OFldE'W FORD lil l'SilZtbUMhlHTi COMPANY,

POWERTRAN$MITTING MECHANESM.

Application filed December 2a, 1916, Serial no. 13e,eee.

T aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, HANNIBAL C. Form, a citizen of the United States, residing at I in the borough of Queens and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful of which the following is a full, clear, and

' exact description; 1

lllS invention relates to power transmissions and more particularly to transmissions in' which the power is transmitted through a plurality of parts in rolling contact.

(inc of the objects of the invention is to provide a power transmission of this character by which changes in the speed of the driving or driven elements may readily be accomplished without any slippage of the power transmitting parts and by which these changes in speed may be effected without releasing the pressurebetween the various elements of the transmission.

Another object of the invention i's to provide a power transmission of the character specified in which the'pr essures resultin from maintaining the parts of the transmission in rolling contact, will be self-con tained; 2'. e., will be carried by the parts of transmission and will not require thrust bearings or other devices to sustain the pressures.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a plurality of power transmitting mechanisms which'are so constructed and arrangedthat they forma single unitary structure of a simple and compact construction.

A further object of the invention isto tions which will be hereinafter described in detail in the specification and particularly pointed out in the appended claims,

Specification of ZLetters Patent.

linprovements in Powenlransnntting Mechanism,-

Also mounted upon the shaft lower end is a second disk 6 Patent-ed d et, 2, illith Renewed January :2, 393.9. serial Ho. 269,332. in the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 shows a horizontal. sectionot a power transmission taken on the line i1 of lfig. 3, and embodying the principles of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and e v Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, the section in each instance being taken in the direction of the arrows and the shafts and other portions of the power transmission being shown in full for the sake of clearness;

In my application Serial No. 83,749, filed March 13, 1916, there is disclosed a variable speed mechanism which has some of the characteristics of the present. invention, the power being transmitted from a driving to a driven element by a pair of balls in rolling contact with each other and with the driving and driven element, respectively.

ngs 3. Mounted upon this shaft adjacent its upper end as is shown in Fig. 1, is a collar 3 against which abuts a circular disk 4 provided with a hardened face plate 5. 2 adjacent its having a face plate tion of its length just below disk 6 portion adjusts the distances between the plates 5 and 7 of the two disks thiapurpose of which will be later referred to.

A second shaft 10 also mounted in suitable bearings 11 and 12-carried by the casihg 1,'is arranged parallel to the shaft 2. This shaft carries a single disk 13 which in. the

the end of the construction shown is secured to the'sh'tft or collar 14. The

7. The shaft 2 is threaded'for a por-' and a hat 8 mounted on the threaded the disks 4 and ,6,

in suitable bushings frame pieces 34 and 35,

shape, the plates of the two cages being numbered 19, 20 and 21, 22, respectively. The plates of each cage are rigidly secured together and maintained in spaced relation by bushings 23 having ends of reduced diameters passing through suitable alining openings at diagonally opposed corners of the plates. Disposed between the side plates at the other two corners, are rollers or other anti-friction devices. The rollers of the two cages are numbered 24, 25, 26 and 27, the rollers 24 and 25 being in rolling contact with the balls 15 and 16, respectively, and the rollers 26 and 27 being in rolling contact with the balls 17 and 18, respectively. These rollers are in each instance mounted 28 secured in openings in the side plates of the cages (see Fig. 3) so that they will turn freely. The cages for each set of balls are mounted upon frames consisting of rods which pass through the bushings 23, the cage for the balls 15, 16 being mounted upon rods 30 and 31, and the cage for the balls 17 and 1.8 upon rods 32 and 33. Set screws 23' carried by the bushings engage the rods and hold the cages in any adjusted position thereon. The rods of each pair run parallel, to each other and are connected at their ends toframe pieces, the rods 30 and 31 being connected by the and the rods 32 and 33 by frame pieces 36 and 37. These frame pieces are of rectangular shape and are of: substantially the same size as the side plates forming the cages. "The frame pieces 34: and 36 are respectively mounted for rotation upon stationary shafts 33 and 39, each of which is supported. at one of its ends by the casing 1 and at its other ends by upwardly extending standards 40 and 4-1.. In the same manner the frame pieces 35 and 37 are rotatably mounted upon shafts 4:2 and 43 which are supported by the casing and the standards A and 45.

Each of the standards 38, 33, i land 1-5 comprises two offset legs which permit the rods 30 and 31. and 32 and 33 to rock with. out interference. The shafts and 4-3 are threaded for substantially the =c ire length and engage with the threads in the openings in the frame pieces 35 and 37, through which these shafts pass. The shafts 12 and; have mounted thereon gear wheels L7 and 4.8, which wheels mesh with center gear wheel adapted to be rotated by the handle 50, the rotation of the handle causing the shafts t2 and 43 to rotate and causes the frame pieces 35 and. 36 to travel therealong to bring about thedisplacement of the cages.

T :e frame pieces 35 and 3"! have toothed projections 53 and other so as to. cause the cages to simul taneously rock upon the shafts 38, 39, 4'2 and 43. These frame pieces 35 and 37 are also provided with projecting lugs 55 54 which mesh with each and 56, which are connected by a tension spring 57.

As will be clear from Fig. 2 of the drawing, the balls 15 and 16 and 17 and 18, respectively, points of rolling contact with each other and with the disks 1 and 6 are parallel to the are not mounted so that their.

axis of the disks, as would be the ordinary construction, but are mounted so that the balls are slightly out of alinement with each other, the distance between the working faces of the disk 13 and the disks 1 and 6, respectively, being slightly less than the combined diameters of the two balls interposed therebetween, which distance is adjusted by rotating the nut 8.

As will also be clear from Fig. 2, the balls are maintained in this slightly oflset position by means of the rollers carried by the cages, the roller 21 engaging the ball 15, the roller 25 engaging the ball 16, the roller 26 engaging the ball 17, and the roller 27 engaging the ball 18. The pressure exerted by these rollers upon the balls through the spring 57 is sufficient to maintain them in rolling contact and also tends to move the balls of each set in a direction to bring them into alinement.

If it is assumed that the shaft 2 is driven from any suitable source of power, and the disks 4: and {3 are rotated in the direction indicated by the arrows shown in Fig. 2, the balls 15 and 16 and 1.7 and 18, respectively, will also rotate, and since the disk 13 is the driven disk, this. disk will exert a tendency upon the balls 16 and 17, tending to move them upwardly as viewed in 3, while the disks t and G will exert a tendency upon the balls 15 and 18, respectively, tending to move them downwardly. This movement of the balls is slight but even slightest movement the pressure between the balls and the surfaces of the disk will be increased and hereby slippage of the balls prevented. a the load upon increased the tendency of is increased which increases the amount of their di. placement and. hence the pressure between the balls and their respective work" surfaces will also be increased; or in other words, the pressure between the balls and their working surfaces will increase automatically with the load upon the driven. element.

in so far as this feature of the invention is concerned. it is not essential that balls be used, for the same arrangement could be utilized with rollers and other rotatable elements, the continuously variable speed feature of the invention is not, essary. H wever, to provide for the con tinuously variable speed of the driving and driven element, balls are essential and the changes in the speed may be obtained by with the the balls to move the disk 13 is teemed rec the side plates tween the balls and the rotatable cages to the right or left of the osition in which it is shown in Fig. 1, wiiich, as is well known, will vary the speed ratio between the shafts 2 and 10. T is movement of the balls may be accomplished without any slippage of the balls: for the reason that since a plurality of balls is utilized between each pair of the disks, these balls are free to move in any direction without slipping, the balls being guided in this movement by of the cage, which hold the balls one above the othen I It will also be noted that the pressures bedisks are self-contained, by which is meant that the shaft 2, since it carries both of the disks 4 and 6, also carries the end thrust upon these disks, due to the pressure exerted upon the disks by the balls, which will eliminate any necesslty for thrust bearings and like constructions. Furthermore the pressures upon the disk 13 are equalized by the pressure exerted upon it from opposite directions.

It should be,further noted that the construction described provides two transmitting mechanisms, namely, the disks 4 and 13 and the balls 15 and 16, and the disks. 6 and 13 and the balls 17 and. 18, the disk 13 being common to both, and since in the present example this is the driven element it will be seen thatthese two transmitting mechanisms greatly increase the amount of power which can be transmitted. Where a pin rality of transmitting mechanisms cooperate to drive one single member, it is essential that when the speed is varied by *moving the balls, these balls be moved in such a manner that they will tend to drive the driven element at the same speed. This is obtained by the simultaneous movement of the balls as has been fully described.

I claim:

1; in a power transmission, a driving and r a driven element, a plurality of contacting members interposed between said driving and driven elements, and means for automatically increasing the pressure between said members and said elements with an increase of load,

a 2. in a a driven element, a plurality of contacting rotatable members interposed between said driving and driven elements, and means cooperating with said members to cause them to move to increase the pressure between them and said elements with an increase of load upon the driven element.

3,. In a power transmission, a drivingand a driven element, a plurality of contacting rotatable members interposed between said driving and drivenelements, said rotatable members being normally out of alinement, and means coiiperating with said members for holding them in position.

4s lin a power transmission, a driving and power transmission, a driving and.

disks a driven element, a plurality of contacting balls interposed between said driving and driven elements, and means for automatically increasing the pressure between said pallis and said elements with an increase of 5. In a power transmission, a driving and a driven element, a plurality of'contacting balls interposed between sald driving and driven' elements, and means coiiperating with said balls to cause them to move to increase the pressure between them and said elements with an increase of load upon the driven elemen In a power transmission, a driving and a driven element, a plurality of contacting balls interposed between said driving and driven elements, said balls being normally out of alinement, and means cooperating with said balls for holding them in position.

7. In a power transmission, a driving and a driven element adapted to be rotated in one direction, a plurality of contacting rotatable members interposed between said driving and driven elements, said members being normally out of alinement and arranged to tend to come into alinement upon rotation of the driving element.

8. In a power transmission, a driving and a driven element adapted to be rotated in one direction, a plurality of contacting balls interposed between said driving and driven elements, said. balls being normally out of alinement and arranged to tend to come into alinement upon rotation of the driving element 9. In a power transmission, three rotatable elements, a set of contacting balls interposed between each of the two end elements and the third intermediate element, a part connecting the two end elements, a

cage for each set of balls and means for simultaneously translating said cages.

In a power transmission, a shaft, two elements i'nounted-on said shaft in spaced relation, a third element mounted intermediate the twofirst named elementsland .eccentric thereto, a set of balls interposed between each of said two first named elements and said intermediate element, a cage for each set of balls and means for simultaneously translating said cages.

11. lln a power transmission, a shaft, twomounted on said shaft in spaced relation, a third disk mounted intermediate the two first named disks and eccentric thereto,a set of balls interposed between each of said two first named disks and said intermediate disk, a cage for each set of 225 ong, means for tea inents, a cage surrounding rounding said balls,

- a cage surrounding a third disk mounted intermediate said two first named disks and eccentric thereto, a set of balls interposed between each of said two first named disks and said intermediate disk, a cage for each set of balls and means for simultaneously translating said cages.

13. In a power transmission, a shaft, two disks mounted on said sliatt, said sliatt having a portion thereof threaded, a nut on said threaded portion engaging one or said disks, a threaded disk. intermediate said two first named disks eccentric thereto, and a set of balls interposed between each of said first named two disks and said intermediate disk, means for simultaneously translating said cages.

In a power transmission, a driving adjusting said disk,

and a driven element, a plurality of contacting balls interposed between said elements, a cage surrounding said balls comprising two side plates, and rollers mounted between said side plates.

15. in a power transmission, a driving and a driven element, a plurality of contacting balls interposed between said elesaid balls comprising side plates, and a pair of diagonally disposed rollers mounted between said side plates. l

16. In a power transmission, a driving and a driven element, a plurality of balls in terposed between said elements, and a cage having swinging movement surrounding said balls.

' 17. In a power transmission, a driving and a driven element, 'a plurality of balls interposed between said elements, and a pivotally mounted cage surrounding said balls.

18. In a power transmission, a driving and a driven element,- a plurality of balls interposed between said elements, a cage surand means associated with said cage for rocking it and for imparting to it longitudinal increment in di. .rection at riglitangles to its rocking movement.

19. In a power transn'iission, a driving and a drivenelement, a plurality of balls interposed between said elements, a cage surrounding said balls comprising two spaced side plates, members connecting diagonally disposed corners ol said side plates tor rigidly connecting said plates and for holding them in spaced relation, and rollers disposed at tlie two other diagonally disposed corners of said plates.

520.11! a power transmission, a driving and a driven element, a pluralityol contactballs interposed between said elements, said balls, rods passing tlirougl said cage, frame pieces secured to a cage for each set oft balls and cueraere the outer ends of said rods, said frame pieces being pivotally mounted.

21, in a power transmission, a driving and a driven element, a plurality of balls interposed between said elements, a cage surrounding said balls, rods passing through said cage, frame pieces secured to the ends oi. said rods, pivotal supports for said frame pieces carried by said casing, one of said supports being rotatable, and means carried by said rotatable support and said corresponding tran'ie piece for causing the frame piece to move tlierealoiig upon rotation of said support.

22. In a power transmission, a plurality of rotatable elements, a common rotatable element, power transmitting members interposed between said elements and said common rotatable element, cages surrounding said members, and means for imparting simultaneous movement to the cages.

In a power transmission, a driving and a driven element, a plurality of balls interposed between said elements, a cage surrounding said balls, a frame carryingsaid cage, and means for imparting a rectilinear movement to said "frame.

2%. In a power transmission, a drivinr and a driven element, a plurality of contacting balls interposed between said elements, cage surrounding said balls, a frame, said cage being adjustably frame, and means for importing a rectilinear movement to said frame.

In a power transmission, a driving and a driven elen'ient, a plurality of contacting balls interposed between said elen'ients, a cage surrounding-said balls, a frame, said cage being adjustably mounted on said frame, and means for imparting a recti linear and swinging movement to said frame.

28. in a power transmission, a driving and a driven element, a plurality of con tact-ing balls interposed between said elements, a cage surrounding said balls, a frame, said cage being adjustably mounted on said frame, and said frame being slidably mounted.

27. In a power transmission, a drivin and a driven element, a plurality of contac' Zing balls interposed between said elements, a cage surrounding said balls, a "frame, said cage being adjustably mounted on said frame, and said frame being slidably and pivotally mounted.

"in witness whereot subscribe my signa ture in the presence of two witnesses.

i-ranuieat (3. iron.

mounted on said 

